Yoga - Shavasana and anxiety

Author

Shavasana and anxiety

sungnee@gmail.com

2006-07-23, 9:25 pm

Hello everybody

I am a part-time teacher of Yoga. I have had two students with anxiety
disorders both telling me that their breath started to be quick and
dis-orderly when they practise Shavasana. This happened after they have
learned the technique, and not at the initial stages. Also they don't
experience this when they are in class. I am at a loss as to what to do. All
I could tell them was not to practise it at home, and use the baby pose
instead, which worked. Both are women. I don't seem to be able to find the
cause, and I would like them to be able to do Shavasana at home.

Any comments, speculations, sharing, or random thoughts whatsoever, will be
gratefully received.

Thank you all in advance.

Wade Humeniuk

2006-07-24, 2:25 am

sungnee@gmail.com wrote:
> Hello everybody
>
> I am a part-time teacher of Yoga. I have had two students with anxiety
> disorders both telling me that their breath started to be quick and
> dis-orderly when they practise Shavasana. This happened after they have
> learned the technique, and not at the initial stages. Also they don't
> experience this when they are in class. I am at a loss as to what to do. All
> I could tell them was not to practise it at home, and use the baby pose
> instead, which worked. Both are women. I don't seem to be able to find the
> cause, and I would like them to be able to do Shavasana at home.
>
> Any comments, speculations, sharing, or random thoughts whatsoever, will be
> gratefully received.
>
> Thank you all in advance.

I would simply assume that they are more deeply relaxing when they are at home.
In class they are still on guard and protective of their image
and feelings in class. When they learn how to do it and are alone they let go
more and the anxiety comes out. Having them do the baby pose is a good idea
as it allows one to relax in a more "protected" position. It is unlikely
you will find the cause, though it is likely they know what is causing it.
It might be they have no conscious idea what is going on. Alternatively
something bad and anxiety producing may be happening in the home setting.
They may feel guilty or ashamed for taking time for themselves. But as
a teacher it is important to not be hard on yourself. Traditionally teachers have known
their students since they were very young and nothing much passes unobserved.
Its a whole different ball of wax now.

As to what to do, just be patient, try to have them keep at the practise, it
may take years to resolve.

Shavasana is a very vulnerable position, all the soft internal organs are exposed,
as well as inner thighs, neck, underarms. The small animal brain in everyone does
not like to show those areas. Baby pose is more protected because the back is
very well armored, the tummy is hidden away, inner thighs are on the inside and the
soft throat is safe. Also in Shavasana the eyes are closed.

Wade

howdydave

2006-07-24, 2:25 am

omjaroo

2006-07-24, 2:25 am

Hi,

> Any comments, speculations, sharing, or random thoughts whatsoever

I don't come from the "psychological" school of anxiety disorder. I
come from the body as energy system school. However emotional trauma
and negative self concept are corollary. As I see it, environmental
factors such as emotional trauma, fear, diet, provoke life-style
imbalances as a way of coping/adapting. The life-style imbalances in
turn cause the anxiety symptoms. In addition I don't believe
anxiety/panic disorder to be a disorder at all. I believe it is the
bodies natural, normal and healthy reaction to an "energy crisis". When
energy (blood sugar) levels become dangerously low the body uses the
fight or flight response (which we feel and explain as panic because we
are neither fighting nor running) to trigger the necessary hormones to
instantly converting glycogen to sugar and thereby raise the blood
sugar level.

I agree, good call on balasana. From the point of view of an energy
system, it makes sense that balasana would be comforting and
non-anxiety producing. It seems to me that balasana acts as passive
combination of Jalandhara bandha (chin to chest), Moola Bandha
(compression of the perineum and contraction of the anal sphincter),
Uddiyana Bandha (lungs pushed against the upper thorax). Notice how
easy it is to lock the three bandhas in this position. In addition,
because the maximum number of body parts are touching each other, the
pose acts like a full body mudra; conserving and recycling prana.
Bringing finger and thumb together lightly would further maximize this
effect. Shavasana on the other hand is completely "open", making
maximum possible contact with the earth, allowing the dissipation and
flow of energy to ground. You did not mention but I am assuming
Shavasana is being performed at the end of a session, after the
students having expended a significant amount of energy.

I would suggest the following.
Drinking a glass of non-citrus juice 20-30 minutes before a session.
Life style changes including:
Eliminate consumption of all "ine" drugs (caffeine, nicotine,
amphetamines). This includes, sodas, tea, coffee, cigarettes, energy
drinks, chocolate, diet pills, etc.
Explore possible food allergies with a systematic (one at a time)
withdrawal and then reintroduction of all the "regular" foods people
are allergic to. Wheat, corn, citrus and dairy are the big ones. In
other words stop eating wheat and see what happens. Then after a month
start eating wheat again and see what happens. Also do this with the
personal top 5 "craving" (as in to die for or comfort) foods. For me it
was strawberries with whip cream, chocolate, beef jerky, beer and
spaghetti with melted cheese. After 15+ years of severe panic attacks
they simply vanished after I stopped eating wheat. Residual anxiety
effects continued to disappear little by little as I took control and
modified my life style, eliminating smoking, caffeine, sugar, drinking,
etc. Also self-directed therapy for the fear, negative self-concept and
other emotional/psychological corollaries. Yogic spiritual psychology
is excellent. As is Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP), twelve steps,
Keyes, Living Love or any other system that puts the self fully in
charge.

Jared
^

Don

2006-07-24, 4:27 pm

On Sun, 23 Jul 2006 18:56:32 -0700, <sungnee@gmail.com> wrote:

> Hello everybody
>
> I am a part-time teacher of Yoga. I have had two students with anxiety
> disorders both telling me that their breath started to be quick and
> dis-orderly when they practise Shavasana. This happened after they have
> learned the technique, and not at the initial stages. Also they don't
> experience this when they are in class. I am at a loss as to what to do.
> All
> I could tell them was not to practise it at home, and use the baby pose
> instead, which worked. Both are women. I don't seem to be able to find
> the
> cause, and I would like them to be able to do Shavasana at home.
>
> Any comments, speculations, sharing, or random thoughts whatsoever, will
> be
> gratefully received.
>
> Thank you all in advance.

Having done yoga for 38 years, I think I can say with assurance that the
cause of the anxiety is not the Shavasana pose. It is likely that both of
these students have an anxiety-producing factor in their lives. One of the
most characteristic things about Shavasana is that it allows you to relax,
open up, and listen to what is going on with body and psyche. When there
is a fear that one does not want to look at, it can surface more readily
at such a time. It is the cause of the anxiety that has to be looked at.
Your suggestion was a good one, in the meantime. Apparently these students
find the class to be a safe, supporting, and reassuring environment. At
home, on the other hand, they are on their own. It is also possible that
something in the home environment itself causes the anxiety: guilt about
taking the time for themselves, or the disapproval of a family member
regarding yoga.

--Don
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/yogabare

sungnee@gmail.com

2006-07-24, 9:26 pm

I would like to thank everybody for their reply. I think I have something to
work on now. Thanks again. :-)

hrwire@gmail.com

2006-07-25, 2:27 am

sungnee@gmail.com wrote:
> Hello everybody
>
> I am a part-time teacher of Yoga. I have had two students with anxiety
> disorders both telling me that their breath started to be quick and
> dis-orderly when they practise Shavasana. This happened after they have
> learned the technique, and not at the initial stages. Also they don't
> experience this when they are in class. I am at a loss as to what to do. All
> I could tell them was not to practise it at home, and use the baby pose
> instead, which worked. Both are women. I don't seem to be able to find the
> cause, and I would like them to be able to do Shavasana at home.
>
> Any comments, speculations, sharing, or random thoughts whatsoever, will be
> gratefully received.
>
> Thank you all in advance.

I've had the anxiety problem for a long time. I started doing the seven
pranayams along with the Surya Namaskar and other asanas. I think the
main problem for people with this condition is doing asanas without a
break, the other reason that I can probably think of is that they fear
something when they are not doing this in your class. I hope they are
doing this in a properly ventilated place.

For example the seven pranayams take about 20 minutes for the average
person, but I take just a little more time than that. I have also
noticed that I breath less than what I used to do before, I feel more
relaxed. The Bhastrika(bellows) pranayam needs to be done carefully as
it involves deep breaths. You can find the pranayams on my my yahoo 360
page.

As for Shavasana, it seems strange that they are having this problem as
this is done at the end of a yoga session to bring back the normal
breathing. As I mentioned earlier, the only problem that I can think
of is that they're doing the asanas with considerble amount of
difficulty before finishing these asanas.

Hope this helps.
Sharath
http://360.yahoo.com/shk_g

Wade Humeniuk

2006-07-25, 9:24 pm

sungnee@gmail.com wrote:
> I would like to thank everybody for their reply. I think I have something to
> work on now. Thanks again. :-)

I would like to say thank you very much. Your concern for your students is
very touching and you asked nothing for yourself. I am sure you are a
great yoga teacher.

Wade